The ‘Ecology of Learning’.
At Winchester School the following Principles underpin our teaching and the learning that takes place in the school curriculum.
Deep knowledge
Deep understanding
Academic engagement
Higher order thinking
Supportive classroom environment
Meta-language
These principles are embedded in the classroom programme through deliberate planning and teaching based on the following theorists. Teachers use the theories in a variety of creative ways for learning across the curriculum. They are sometimes helpful for motivation and behaviour management.
Detailed explanations and resources of these theorists can be found in the Winchester Ecology of Learning Folder (red folder).
Vygotsky –Scaffolding
Two important concepts of Vygotsky’s theories are ‘Zone of Proximal Development’ (ZPD) and ‘Scaffolding’.
‘Zone of Proximal Development’ is the gap between the child’s current level of achievement and their potential level for a specific activity. At Winchester School good learning occurs when children work within their Zone of Proximal Development. ZPD’s are continually changing as the learner’s knowledge and skills develop and improve.
‘Scaffolding’ is about providing a temporary support to enable children to achieve their potential in a particular task.
At Winchester scaffolding is an important feature that is evident throughout our classrooms. We use graphic organisers as one form of scaffolding to provide a means to organise knowledge.
Gardner -Multiple Intelligences
Gardner recognises that there are 8 Intelligences. Every person possesses all eight intelligences but some are more developed than others. Most people can develop each Intelligence to an adequate level.
At Winchester the names of each ‘Intelligence’ are used in two different ways depending on the level of the children.
Verbal/ LinguisticWord Smart
Logical/MathematicalMaths Smart
Visual/SpatialArt Smart
Musical/RhythmicMusic Smart
Bodily/KinaestheticBody Smart
InterpersonalPeople Smart
IntrapersonalSelf Smart
NaturalisticNature Smart
Children can gain an understanding about how they learn best. At Winchester we teach for, with and about Multiple Intelligences.
Bloom’s –Taxonomy
Bloom’s Taxonomy is an invaluable strategy for teachers and students to consciously and systematically incorporate deep knowledge and understanding into the whole class programme. At Winchester we encourage students to develop higher order thinking skills within a range of curriculum activities.
The six general levels are listed below in order of complexity. Creatingplanning, designing, inventing, devising, making, generating Evaluatingchecking, hypothesising, experimenting, judging, testing detecting Analysingorganising,differentiating,comparing, outlining, structuring Applyingexecuting, implementing, using, carrying out Understandinginterpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarising, explaining Rememberingrecognising, recalling, listing,describing, locating, naming, finding
De Bono -6 Thinking Hats
De Bono divided types of thinking into six different modes, each of which is represented by a different coloured hat. At Winchester School the Six Hat Thinking provides a framework for focused, constructive and productive thought. We acknowledge that feelings and emotions are an important part of thinking. The Hats can be used singularly or in combinations. Red HatFeelings Yellow HatStrengths/Good points Black HatWeaknesses/Judgement/ Bad points Green HatCreativity/New Ideas White HatInformation/Facts Blue HatMeta-cognition/Thinking about thinking
Costa –Habits of Mind/Intelligent Behaviours
Costa discovered 16 different habits that intelligent people use. A Habit of the Mind is knowing how to behave intelligently when you don’t know the answer. At Winchester School teachers and children are encouraged to use specificity in their language. By speaking in Meta-language we are evoking the use of intelligent behaviour. Children at Winchester are taught and encouraged to continuously develop and use this language and these Habits.
Persisting
Listening with understanding and empathy
Thinking about your thinking (Meta-cognition)
Questioning and problem posing
Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision
Winchester School's journey to the centre of our Ecology of Learning.
Our PedagogyOur Rich Task CurriculumClick for an example What's in our future ? Winchester Pedagogy
The ‘Ecology of Learning’.
At Winchester School the following Principles underpin our teaching and the learning that takes place in the school curriculum.
These principles are embedded in the classroom programme through deliberate planning and teaching based on the following theorists. Teachers use the theories in a variety of creative ways for learning across the curriculum. They are sometimes helpful for motivation and behaviour management.
Detailed explanations and resources of these theorists can be found in the Winchester Ecology of Learning Folder (red folder).
- Vygotsky –Scaffolding
Two important concepts of Vygotsky’s theories are ‘Zone of Proximal Development’ (ZPD) and ‘Scaffolding’.‘Zone of Proximal Development’ is the gap between the child’s current level of achievement and their potential level for a specific activity. At Winchester School good learning occurs when children work within their Zone of Proximal Development. ZPD’s are continually changing as the learner’s knowledge and skills develop and improve.
‘Scaffolding’ is about providing a temporary support to enable children to achieve their potential in a particular task.
At Winchester scaffolding is an important feature that is evident throughout our classrooms. We use graphic organisers as one form of scaffolding to provide a means to organise knowledge.
- Gardner -Multiple Intelligences
Gardner recognises that there are 8 Intelligences. Every person possesses all eight intelligences but some are more developed than others. Most people can develop each Intelligence to an adequate level.At Winchester the names of each ‘Intelligence’ are used in two different ways depending on the level of the children.
Verbal/ Linguistic Word Smart
Logical/Mathematical Maths Smart
Visual/Spatial Art Smart
Musical/Rhythmic Music Smart
Bodily/Kinaesthetic Body Smart
Interpersonal People Smart
Intrapersonal Self Smart
Naturalistic Nature Smart
Children can gain an understanding about how they learn best. At Winchester we teach for, with and about Multiple Intelligences.
- Bloom’s –Taxonomy
Bloom’s Taxonomy is an invaluable strategy for teachers and students to consciously and systematically incorporate deep knowledge and understanding into the whole class programme. At Winchester we encourage students to develop higher order thinking skills within a range of curriculum activities.The six general levels are listed below in order of complexity.
Creating planning, designing, inventing, devising, making, generating
Evaluating checking, hypothesising, experimenting, judging, testing detecting
Analysing organising,differentiating,comparing, outlining, structuring
Applying executing, implementing, using, carrying out
Understanding interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarising, explaining
Remembering recognising, recalling, listing,describing, locating, naming, finding
- De Bono -6 Thinking Hats
De Bono divided types of thinking into six different modes, each of which is represented by a different coloured hat. At Winchester School the Six Hat Thinking provides a framework for focused, constructive and productive thought. We acknowledge that feelings and emotions are an important part of thinking. The Hats can be used singularly or in combinations.Red Hat Feelings
Yellow Hat Strengths/Good points
Black Hat Weaknesses/Judgement/ Bad points
Green Hat Creativity/New Ideas
White Hat Information/Facts
Blue Hat Meta-cognition/Thinking about thinking
- Costa –Habits of Mind/Intelligent Behaviours
Costa discovered 16 different habits that intelligent people use. A Habit of the Mind is knowing how to behave intelligently when you don’t know the answer. At Winchester School teachers and children are encouraged to use specificity in their language. By speaking in Meta-language we are evoking the use of intelligent behaviour. Children at Winchester are taught and encouraged to continuously develop and use this language and these Habits.